Essentials of the Theory of Fiction

by Michael J. Hoffman (Editor), Patrick D. Murphy (Editor)

What accounts for the power of stories to both entertain and illuminate? This question has long compelled the attention of storytellers and students of literature alike, and over the past several decades it has opened up broader dialogues about the nature of culture and interpretation. This third edition of the bestselling Essentials of the Theory of Fiction provides a comprehensive view of the theory of fiction from the nineteenth century through modernism and postmodernism to the present. It offers a sample of major theories of fictional technique while emphasizing recent developments in literary criticism. The essays cover a variety of topics, including voice, point of view, narration, sequencing, gender, and race. Ten new selections address issues such as oral memory in African American fiction, temporality, queer theory, magical realism, interactive narratives, and the effect of virtual technologies on literature. For students and generalists alike, Essentials of the Theory of Fiction is an invaluable resource for understanding how fiction works. Contributors. M. M. Bakhtin, John Barth, Roland Barthes, Wayne Booth, John Brenkman, Peter Brooks, Catherine Burgass, Seymour Chatman, J. Yellowlees Douglas, Rachel Blau DuPlessis, Wendy B. Faris, Barbara Foley, E. M. Forster, Joseph Frank, Joanne S. Frye, William H. Gass, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Gérard Genette, Ursula K. Heise, Michael J. Hoffman, Linda Hutcheon, Henry James, Susan S. Lanser, Helen Lock, Georg Lukács, Patrick D. Murphy, Ruth Ronen, Joseph Tabbi, Jon Thiem, Tzvetan Todorov, Virginia Woolf

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Literary Criticism, Reference, Anthologies, Criticism

520 pages, Paperback

First published July 28, 1988

Reviews

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neatly described, in a spur moment, I realize there are tons of ideologies constructed within theories of fiction. This is good for people who want to dig deeper into an exploration of the role that literature plays in social life and individual experience, in particular social, cultural, and historical settings.

[Lucia]

What a journey 😭

[Apoorva · Rating 4 out of 5]

MFA Reading List book 2. A great anthology, with stellar references and recommended readings. Covers sizeable ground too.

[Chanel Earl]

I read much of this for a creative writing theory class. Every section I read was great.

[Mills College Library]

809.3 E78 2005